Key Takeaways From Tulane Green Wave Devastating Loss to Memphis Tigers
The Tulane Green Wave knew what was at stake when they took the field on Thanksgiving night against the Memphis Tigers.
They had already clinched a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game against the Army West Point Black Knights, but a win would have meant that game being played at Yulman Stadium next weekend.
There was also a chance to crash the College Football Playoff.
Had Tulane run the table, there was a possibility they would have been one of the five highest-ranked conference champions, earning an automatic bid.
Unfortunately, those playoff chances likely went up in flames with their 34-24 loss Thursday night.
What led to such a disappointing outcome?
Here are some key takeaways from the Green Wave’s third loss of the season and first in the AAC.
Costly Turnovers
It is always difficult to win a football game when losing the turnover battle. All in all, Tulane cost themselves points several times as they turned the ball over three times, while Memphis had zero.
The first was a fumble by Yulkeith Brown that was forced by defensive back Kourtlan Marsh. That turnover came inside the 10-yard line, as did the second fumble Marsh forced and recovered against Mario Williams in the fourth quarter.
The Williams fumble came after Tulane was finally building some momentum and Darian Mensah hit him for a deep completion, but as he was going to the ground after establishing the catch, the ball was knocked loose and the Tigers recovered.
After another stop by the defense, Mensah threw an interception on the following drive, getting too aggressive and throwing the ball downfield to stop the momentum again.
Could Not Get Memphis Offense Off The Field
Both teams entered the game with poor tackling defenses, but it was Memphis who was able to clean things up enough on Thursday to get the win.
Whenever they needed a play to be made, quarterback Seth Henigan would answer the call.
The Tigers were able to extend drives with excellent play calling, converting 10-of-16 third-down attempts on the evening.
Out of the 10 possessions they had, points were scored on six of them. They answered everything Jon Sumrall and his team threw at them, picking up an impressive upset victory.
Line of Scrimmage Domination
Coming into the matchup, people were keeping a close eye on the running games for both squads. Memphis had rushed for 200-plus yards in five out of their seven AAC games and the Green Wave has one of the most potent rushing attacks led by Makhi Hughes.
On Thanksgiving night, it was the Tigers who were able to dominate the line of scrimmage, setting the tone of the ground. Their performance in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, was a major factor in the outcome.
Memphis rushed for 236 yards while holding Tulane to 72. Hughes was taken out of the game, gaining a career-low 15 yards on nine carries. The Green Wave's leading rusher was Shaadie Clayton-Johnson, who gained 29 yards on two carries.
Beat At Their Own Game
Throughout the 2024 campaign, the Green Wave have found success by setting the tone early and controlling the tempo. They were near the top of college football in time of possession, taking advantage of their depth defensively and wearing down teams.
On Thursday, the Tigers took a page out of their opponent’s playbook and became the more aggressive and physical team. They dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 39:40 minutes compared to 20:20 for Tulane.
That was certainly the most surprising outcome of the evening, as the Green Wave had done to them what they have done to so many opponents this year.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.